Typewriter desk



y 4 ,1. s. BURDICK 2,243,087

TYPEWRITER DESK Filed March 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll/IlIlIlllIl/l/A IN VENTOR.

May 1941- J. s. BURDICK. 2,243,037

TYPEWRITER DESK Filed March 2, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H m. I

' ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 27, 1941 TYPEWRITER DESK John S. Burdick, North Muskegon, Mich, assignor to The Shaw-Walker Company, Muskegon, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application March 2, 1939, Serial No. 259,345

(Cl.'3l2-29) 4 Claims.

typewriter desks and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention as shown herein is applied to but not limited to typewriter desks of a familiar type having a typewriter platform mounted in one of the pedestals of the desk on a movable frame which, with the platform, is normally in a position near the bottom of and enclosed in said pedestal. It is capable of withdrawal from said pedestal, whereupon it is automatically brought to working position at the top of the pedestal by suitable spring actuated gear and ratchet mechanism.

In typewriter desks of the kind, the platform when in working position, is supported, as a cantilever, solely at its inner end by the said frame beyond which it extends. As a result it is subjected to objectionable vibration when the typewriter supported by it is operated.

The object of the invention is to provide means carried by the typewriter platform adapted to securely lock it to the vertical side walls of the pedestal which houses it, in such manner that the said objectionable vibration will be practically eliminated and reduced to a minimum.

The advantages of the invention will appear as I proceed with the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved typewriter desk with the typewriter platform shown in extended, working position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the desk with the typewriter platform extended in working position, but looked at from below and from the right with respect to the pedestal which houses it, the flanges of the channel bars having been omitted for clearness.

Figure 3 is abottom plan view on an enlarged scale of the typewriter platform with the side walls of the pedestal which houses it partially shown in horizontal section and with parts below it eliminated for the sake of clearness in the illustration of the parts included.

Figure 4 is a view representing a section through Figure 3 in a plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on a still larger scale in a plane indicated by the line 55 in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view to be described more particularly in the specification.

Figure 7 is a partial section of Figure 4 in a plane indicated by the line of Figure 4 showing the parts not included in Figure 3.

Referring now to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings: ill indicates the improved desk. It is preferably made of sheet metal fabricated in the usual manner in the manufacture of metal furniture. I l indicates the top; 12 indicates a pedestal containing drawers i3; and I i indicates the pedestal in which the typewriter platform 15 is supported and housed. it indicates a Vertically movable frame (see Figures 2 and 4) comprising side plates ll adjacent the inner side walls M M of the pedestal Hi, and a horizontal housing l8 extendingbetween and fixed to said plates containing a spring-controlled horizontal shaft [8 with gears la at its ends. Said gears engage vertical racks I'9 fixed to the side walls of the pedestal in parallel association with vertically spaced rollers 26, 20 on the frame, and channels 2i fixed to the sides of the pedestal in which sai'd'r'olle'rs ride. The frame also includes'horizontal side channels 22 in which are engaged horizontally spaced rollers 23, 23 by means of which the typewriter platform I5 is supported at its inner end and by which it is movable when at its lower level into housing relation "within the pedestal. Horizontally spaced, laterally extending lugs 24 (see Figure 3) are adapted to engage bayonet slots 25, 25 (as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4) in bars fixed to the side walls ofthe pedestal to arrest and lock the frame [6 at the upper position of its vertical movement. The construction so far is familiar, and as it forms no part of the invention, requires no further description.

The typewriter platform I5 is of familiar sheet metal fabrication, having vertical side flanges 15 le a vertical front flange 15 each being reinforced by a'horizontal bottom flange as shown, and the side flanges i5 being made deeper towards the rear inner end of the platform as indicated at I5, I5 26, 27 indicate (see Figures 2 and 3) longitudinally spaced, transverse channel bars fixed to the bottom of the typewriter platform. They extend between and brace the side flanges I5 15 of the platform and have top flanges 26 21 which are fixed in any suitable manner to the bottom of said platform. 28, 29 indicate similar channel bars with flanges 28 29 extending longitudinally and in bracing relation between the transverse bars 26, 2'! at the sides of the median line and being secured to the bottom of the platform. Preferably they diverge forwardly, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

30 indicates a lever fulcrumed on a stud or rivet 3i fixed to and depending from the bottom of the platform near its rear end (see Figures 3 and 4). The lever 30 is preferably made of spring metal and is bent downwardly below the level of the platform, as indicated at 32, to engage against the bottom of the channel bar 26, whence it passes forwardly towards the front channel bar 21 in the neighborhood of which it is bent upwardly to provide convenient hand grip. as indicated at 33. The proximate side of the channel bar 21 is cut away for a short distance, as indi cated at 34 in Figure 6. An angle bar 35 fixed in said channel adjacent the opening 34 is provided with ratchet teeth 36. The lever 30 is formed with a pawl extension 31 which normally engages the teeth of said ratchet bar.

The lever 30 is extended somewhat beyond the shown at 311 in dotted lines in Figure 3, the bolts will be shifted from the position shown in full lines to the position shown in dotted lines, with their ends engaged in the openings 40, 40 in the plates M, ll This locks the platform securely in place against the sides of the pedestal.

To insure this locking engagement and to obviate any tendency to vibration, the bolts in each case are bent back upon themselves to provide wedge-like ends 39* (see Figure 5); and the opening 48 is preferably provided with a lip 40* which is first engaged by the wedge-like end of the bolt as said bolt is pushed toward its home position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. This wedging action of the bolt-ends in the holes in which they are engaged securely locks the platform in position against the sides of the pedestals and holds the studs 24 of the elevating platform 16 in secure locked, relation in their respective bayonet slots 25. This rigidly holds the platform locked against vibration under the pounding action of operating the typewriter supported thereon.

The operation of the lever 35 to actuate the bolts 38 and 38 is facilitated by the grip part 33 on the lever which may be manipulated to disengage the pawl extension 31 from the ratchet teeth 36 with which it is normally held engaged by the spring action of the lever itself.

When the typewriter platform is depressed and enclosed in the pedestal in housed relation, said pedestal is closed by a door 42*. Said door is shown open in Figures 1 and 2.

To supplement the support for the typewriter platform provided by the lever lock mechanism hereinbefore described, the door is provided with a bracket 42 near its ton-said bracket having a shoulder 43 which is adapted to engage under the proximate flange I5 of the typewriter platform when the same is in its upper working position, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. This furposition, comprising a lever fulcrumed to the bottom of said platform near its rear end and extending longitudinally forward therefrom, bolts pivotally connected to said lever at opposite sides of said fulcrum extending in opposite directions transversely of said platform, the ends of said bolts being formed to provide wedges, said platform-mounting means being provided at opposite sides of said platform with holes for engagement by the ends of said bolts, and means extending transversely on the bottom of said platform with which said lever is normally engaged.

2. In a desk, a typewriter platform and means mounting the platform in said desk whereby it is withdrawable therefrom, mechanism for holding said platform against vibration when in working position, comprising a lever fulcrumed to the bottom of said platform near its rear end and extending longitudinally forward therefrom, said platform having side flanges with apertures therein, bolts pivotally connected to said lever at opposite sides of said fulcrum extending in opposite directions transversely of said platform and through said apertures, the ends of said bolts ther stabilizes the typewriter platform and holds being formed to provide wedges, said platformmounting means being provided at opposite sides of said platform with holes for engagement by the ends of said bolts when said lever is shifted to move said bolts beyond the apertures in said flanges, a rack extending transversely of the platform near its forward end, and said lever being provided with a pawl extension normally engaged with said rack.

3. In a desk, a typewriter platform and means mounting the platform in said desk whereby it is withdrawable therefrom, mechanism for holding said platform against vibration when in working position, comprising a lever made of spring metal fulcrumed to the bottom of said platform near its rear end and extending longitudinally forward therefrom, a rack bar fixed transversely to the bottom of said platform near its forward end, said lever having an extension pawl engaged with said rack bar, bolts pivotally connected to said lever at opposite sides of said fulcrum extending in opposite directions transversely of said platform, said platform having side flanges provided with apertures in line with said bolts, the ends of said bolts being formed to provide wedges, and said platform-mounting means being provided at opposite sides of said platform with holes having lips for engagement by the ends of said bolts.

4. In a typewriter desk having a pedestal, a typewriter platform mounted in said pedestal and withdrawable therefrom to working position, mechanism for holding said platform against vibration when in working position, comprising a lever fulcrumed to said platform near its rear end and extending longitudinally forward therefrom, bolts pivotally connected to said lever at opposite sides of said fulcrum extending in opposite directions transversely of said platform, the ends of said bolts being formed to provide wedges, said pedestalbeing provided at opposite sides of said platform with means for engagement by the ends of said bolts, and means extending transversely of said platform with which said lever is normally engaged.

JOHN S. BURDICK. 

